Greek extremist group threatens Olympic visitors

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A Greek extremist group called the Revolutionary Struggle has threatened visitors to the Olympic Games, adding to security woes just three months out from the start of the event.

The warning came after makeshift bombs exploded at a Greek bank in an Athens suburb early on Thursday, and another explosive device was found at a nearby British bank.

Devices made up of gas canisters exploded at 2am (9am AEST) at an automatic teller machine owned by Alpha Bank, Greece's second largest bank and an Olympics sponsor.

Another unidentified explosive device was found outside the office of the British-owned HSBC bank and defused, police said.

The blasts, which caused some damage but no injuries, came eight days after dynamite explosions at a police station in Athens, an incident blamed on local extremists rather than international terror groups like al-Qaeda.

The Revolutionary Struggle group on Thursday claimed responsibility for the May 5 bombings and issued a warning to visitors to the Olympics, which run from August 13 to 29.

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It described government officials, business leaders, security officials and wealthy tourists who plan to attend the event as "undesirables".

Greece announced this week that 70,000 security personnel will watch over the Games - outnumbering athletes by almost seven to one - with Olympic officials saying preparations for the sporting extravaganza were on track.

The latest blasts came as about 300 officials from Greece and the seven countries advising it on Olympics security - including Australia - were set to take part in Olympic Guardian 2, a joint Greek-US four-day exercise in Athens.

This latest dress rehearsal involves Greek officials up to the rank of minister having to co-ordinate immediate anti-terrorist action in response to fictitious attacks on the Games.

Meanwhile, organisers have also reacted with fury to an Australian travel advisory warning Australians to "exercise caution" and beware of terrorists, pickpockets and rapists if travelling to Greece.

The chief International Olympic Committee inspector of the Athens Games, Denis Oswald, said he was "surprised and disappointed" by the warning, noting that Australia is part of a seven-country group advising Greece on security.

Greece's chief Olympics organiser, Gianna Angelopoulos-Daskalaki, called the Australian advisory "unfair" and others suggested Australia was taunting Athens with a reminder of the success of Sydney's 2000 Games.

But Australian officials insisted the warning was based on solid intelligence and that the Government had an obligation to warn its citizens of the risk of travel, notably after recent bomb attacks in Athens.

Athens has also faced months of concern worldwide that preparations for the Games were lagging behind and that the four-yearly sporting extravaganza could turn into an embarrassing fiasco.

But International Olympic Committee officials gave the preparations a clean bill of health after their final official visit on Thursday.

"We know everything will be ready on time ... no single project is at risk," IOC chief inspector Denis Oswald said. "In the past we had doubts. I am very happy to report all these doubts have disappeared."

The Greek capital expects to host around 16,000 athletes and officials, 45,000 volunteers, 21,500 journalists and millions of spectators for the Olympics.

The Greek Government said it was not worried by the warning.

"No, we are not," Greek government spokesman Theodoros Roussopoulos told a news conference.

"A plan has been drafted and implemented, that guarantees the security of the Olympic Games," he said.

However, he said the Government also treated the warning with seriousness and responsibility.